YouSaid · the spoken record

Matjila

lines on the record: 891
first: 2016-07-12
most recent: 2020-12-07
sittings or episodes: 120
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In that connection, South Africa supports a whole-of-Government and a whole-of- society approach that also addresses the role of women and children, youth, civil society, the private sector and communities in dealing with terrorist acts. We welcome the Madrid Guiding Principles and the addendum (S/2018/ll77, annex) that has been developed to complement them. In South Africa's fight against terrorism, we have, under our Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Act, incorporated means of addressing the financing of terrorism, complemented by South Africa's Financial Intelligence Centre, which is part of a global network of similar centres dealing with tracing illegal financial flows to terrorist groups, and good cooperation with the private sector.”
2019-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8460 (2019) · source
“The United Nations remains key in the coordination of the international community's efforts in this regard, and the importance of its support for Member States in addressing their specific challenges in countering ISIL cannot be underestimated. We welcome the efforts of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the Security Council and its Executive Directorate in this respect. South Africa has always supported a holistic approach to countering the threat of terrorism. Terrorism should be addressed in its totality, not only in its individual components. Security measures alone will not succeed in countering the terrorist threat. Addressing what gives rise to it and its prevention are equally important.”
2019-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8460 (2019) · source
“I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for having convened today's briefing on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. We are grateful for the briefings presented by, respectively, Mr. Voronkov and Ms. Coninsx. South Africa believes that this meeting could have been further enriched had the Council invited the countries most affected to participate in the briefing. We will hope that it will do so in future. The threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) may have evolved and changed, but it has not diminished in any way. Given ISIL's global reach, countering it requires a coherent, coordinated response that is underpinned by strengthened cooperation at the domestic, bilateral, regional and international levels, including the sharing of information and experiences.”
2019-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8460 (2019) · source
“All relevant parties should commit to upholding and protecting religious integrity and heritage and to respecting the rule of law, as well as the decisions of the Implementation and Monitoring Council. South Africa wishes to reiterate the sentiments of the Secretary-General in his report regarding continued engagement with the authorities, civil society and bilateral and international partners. That will play an important role in ensuring active support for peacebuilding and intercommunity trust- building efforts in Kosovo. We hope that the spirit of dialogue will build the foundation for negotiations on an inclusive, fair political settlement that will be acceptable to both sides.”
2019-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8459 (2019) · source
“Perhaps the Kosovo Administration may want to reflect on those decisions, with the possibility of suspending or totally revising them as a contribution to establishing an environment of peace in which negotiations can take place. South Africa also wishes to recognize the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Special Representative, Mr. Zahir Tanin, and their support for the peace process in Kosovo. It is not easy. It is a very difficult process. We wish to reiterate that the presence of the United Nations in Kosovo is critical to reaching a solution and encouraging cooperation among all parties, as per the provisions of resolution 1244 (1999). However, we remain concerned about the renewed tensions in Kosovo with regard to the special protective zones where construction activities persist.”
2019-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8459 (2019) · source
“South Africa welcomes the work of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, with the support of the United Nations country team, whose efforts have contributed significantly to creating an environment conducive to compromise, reconciliation and stability in Kosovo, as outlined in the Secretary-General's report (S/2019/102). South Africa also commends the efforts of Belgrade and Pristina in the European Union-facilitated dialogue towards normalizing relations, despite challenges faced by both leaders in finding a sustainable and peaceful political solution. Surely the imposition of 100 per cent tariffs on Serbian goods and the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into regular armed forces do not contribute to creating an environment that is conducive to finding a durable solution in Kosovo.”
2019-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8459 (2019) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for placing this matter on the agenda today. After following the due process provided for in the working methods of the Security Council, you have my support. May I also thank Mr. Zahir Tanin, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), for his briefing. We also welcome His Excellency Mr. Daeic', First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, and thank him for his briefing. We also take note of the statement delivered by Ms. Citaku.”
2019-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8459 (2019) · source
“In conclusion, I wish to stress that South Africa is firmly committed to working with fellow African States and members of the Security Council to address the challenge of mercenary activities and their negative impact on peace and stability both regionally and internationally. That is in line with the aspirations of the African continent as envisaged in Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, in particular the desire for a peaceful and secure Africa, and through the flagship project Silencing the Guns by 2020. We wish our Chinese friends a happy new year.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“South Africa is concerned about the new forms of mercenary acts in the form of private security companies. Over the years, there has been a clear nexus between the activities of mercenaries and private military companies and the negative consequences of such companies on some of the continent's protracted conflicts. We call on the international community to put in place a regulatory and legally binding framework on the work of those companies. The Montreux Document on the self- regulation of private military companies could be used as required once that instrument has been universally agreed. My delegation is convinced that we should address the perception around the privatization and corporatization of security services, as such a role should be the sole responsibility of sovereign Governments.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“We have previously cooperated and collaborated with fellow African countries in instances where our nationals were implicated in mercenary activities. My delegation stresses that it is the obligation of all States to take all necessary measures to eradicate mercenary activities wherever they may occur. In that regard, the Security Council should encourage all Member States to commit to preventing their nationals and foreigners in their respective territories from engaging in mercenary activities. Representatives will recall that, during its sixty- second session, the General Assembly adopted resolution 62/145 on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“The Constitution of our country provides that the resolve to live in peace and harmony precludes any South African citizen from participating in armed conflict, nationally or internationally, except as provided for in the Constitution or national legislation. In pursuance of this objective, in 1998 the Parliament of South Africa passed legislation entitled the "Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act". The objective of the Act is to regulate the rendering of foreign military assistance by our nationals, persons permanently residing within our borders and foreign citizens rendering such assistance from within our borders. Through these actions, South Africa has consistently taken strict measures against its nationals found to be involved in mercenary activities or violating the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“As eloquently captured in the concept note for this meeting (S/2019/97, annex), the recruitment, use, financing and training of mercenaries violate the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and those of the Constitutive Act of the African Union. South Africa reaffirms the need for the unequivocal implementation of all international and continental legislation and instruments against mercenaries, in particular the 1989 International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries and the 1977 Organization of African Unity Convention for the Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa. For our part, South Africa has an uncompromising and strict policy against its nationals who partake in any mercenary activities.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“We support the objectives of the African Union aimed at achieving greater unity and solidarity among African countries and the people of Africa, while also defending the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its member States. These objectives and principles are clearly articulated in the Constitutive Act of the African Union. Key among these principles is the condemnation and rejection of unconstitutional changes of Government, as well as non-interference by any member State in the internal affairs of another. As a responsible member of the African Union and the United Nations, South Africa condemns all mercenary activities in any African or non-African country. We believe that these activities are in clear contravention of continental and international conventions and legal instruments.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“Their transnational activities also threaten regional stability, especially in cases where the security of neighbouring countries is intertwined. South Africa condemns such activities, as they pose serious challenges to our collective efforts to promote and ensure peace and stability in our respective countries. Equally concerning, the activities of mercenaries pose a serious threat to the peace and stability of several regions on the continent, which is already fragile owing to ongoing conflicts. Since the advent of democracy in 1994, South Africa has been part ofthe collective efforts to promote peace and stability throughout our beloved continent.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“We also welcome His Excellency Mr. Marcel Amon-Tanoh, Minister for Foreign Affairs of C6te d'Ivoire, and His Excellency Mr. Abdu Kambogo, Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Regional Integration of Gabon. South Africa welcomes the convening ofthis timely debate and the selection of the important theme on the role ofmercenary activities as a source ofinsecurity and destabilization in Africa. It is an important, undisputed fact that over the years, Africa has been at the receiving end of mercenary activities, which have contributed to undermining peace, security and stability on the continent. Several African countries have been targets of ongoing attempts by mercenary groups to overthrow legitimate and democratically elected Governments.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“At the outset, South Africa wishes to congratulate Your Excellency President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of February. You may be assured of South Africa's full support and cooperation during your presidency of the Council. We also want to thank the Dominican Republic for its excellent presidency of the Council in January. We thank the Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, for their insightful briefings. We further thank His Excellency Mr. Richard Sezibera, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda, for his remarks on behalf of President Paul Kagame, in his capacity as the President of the African Union.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“South Africa continues to maintain that democracy is an unassailable right of the Syrian people and therefore remains convinced that, in a complex and diverse society such as Syria's, there can be no military solution to the conflict. Political negotiations are the only way.”
2019-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8454 (2019) · source
“South Africa would like to urge all parties, together with the Security Council, to work towards the speedy establishment and convening of an inclusive and balanced constitutional committee. That would represent progress in the political dialogue and be a step in the right direction for a sustainable, negotiated political settlement to the situation in Syria. We underscore our view that the only sustainable solution to the situation in Syria is a negotiated political solution through an inclusive Syrian-led dialogue aimed at achieving a transition reflecting the will of the Syrian people and with a guarantee of protection for all Syrians. Lastly, South Africa rejects in all respects any call for regime change and external military interference or any action contrary to the Charter of the United Nations.”
2019-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8454 (2019) · source
“In South Africa's view, the humanitarian crisis in Syria is greatly influenced by the political situation in the country and that the dire humanitarian situation cannot be improved without progress being made on the political front. In that context, let me reiterate our support for the implementation of resolution 2254 (2015) and the road map for the political future of Syria. We would like to welcome the appointment of Mr. Geir Pedersen as the new Special Envoy of the Secretary- General. We are pleased to note that he has already begun his work in earnest by engaging with all relevant role-players. We look forward to hearing from him in February on the political process.”
2019-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8454 (2019) · source
“We also request that OCHA continue to work with the Government of Syria on multiple levels in order to facilitate the early provision of authorization and facilitation letters with all the necessary guarantees for the convoys to reach areas where humanitarian assistance is needed most, without any obstruction, as outlined in resolution 2449 (2018), adopted by the Council in December. In that context, we would like to thank Russia and Turkey for their cooperation, and the coalition partners for offering the protection that Mr. Lowcock mentioned early in his briefing today. We also welcome the financial contributions made to the current humanitarian response plan.”
2019-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8454 (2019) · source
“As this is my delegation's first intervention on this matter, I wish to commend the United Nations and its agencies for all they have done to bring reliefto the people of Syria, particularly with regard to the coordination of cross-border deliveries of essential goods, such as food and medical aid. My delegation would like to reiterate the Secretary-General's statement, in his December report (S/2018/1104), that without cross-border deliveries, the United Nations would be unable to reach people in need who are inaccessible through other means. In that regard, we call on Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), under the leadership of Mr. Lowcock, to continue its good work in coordinating the humanitarian assistance programme in Syria, and in particular in helping women, the frail and children.”
2019-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8454 (2019) · source
“After all, they all must end through political negotiations, with people sitting around a table. So, why destroy such a huge region on the scale of destruction that we saw during the Second World War in Europe and Asia? We hope to never again see any region suffer this amount of destruction. We hope that this is the last lesson for the Security Council. We do not need the destruction of other regions. I hope that it does not happen in Africa, or anywhere else. I think that the Middle East is a good lesson that we need to find better ways of resolving conflicts.”
2019-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8454 (2019) · source
“The conflict in Syria has been raging unabated for more than eight years, during which more than 500,000 Syrians have died - approximately 3 per cent of the population in just eight years. In addition, 6.2 million people - 34 per cent of the population - have been internally displaced, and 11.7 million Syrians - 61 per cent - are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. If we add the destruction of physical and school infrastructure - schools, hospitals and factories - and the millions disabled as a result of the war and the millions of refugees in foreign lands, we can ask ourselves if this was worth it. Was this worth it? If we look at the destruction in just one region - in Iraq, Yemen and Libya - we can ask ourselves whether the Security Council can find a better way of resolving those conflicts.”
2019-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8454 (2019) · source
“Let me join others in thanking the Under- Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Mark Lowcock, for the valuable and detailed briefing on the humanitarian situation in Syria and, through him, thanking all United Nations personnel for their great job to help the Syrian people who are most in need. We also thank Syria's neighbouring countries for their assistance, as well as the co-penholders on this issue for their work. I think it sets a very good example that the 10 elected members agreed to share the pen on this issue. I hope that the five permanent members will take away the lesson that they can work with the elected 10 on penholding on other issues, like peacekeeping and sanctions.”
2019-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8454 (2019) · source
“We are also concerned about the humanitarian situation in Venezuela and the resultant migration that has taken place. We call on the entire international community, as well as the relevant United Nations agencies and bodies, to work with the Venezuelan Government and its neighbours in order to assist those in need. Iwish to stress that South Africa is firmly against any attempts aimed at undue or unconstitutional changes of Government in Venezuela. The Security Council should never be an instrument that validates unconstitutional changes of any Government - anywhere, at any time. Instead, the Council should promote avenues that create environments conducive to inclusive dialogue and cooperation, which would ease the challenges and hardships faced by the Venezuelan people.”
2019-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8452 (2019) · source
“South Africa echoes the statement made by the Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, in Davos on 24 January, where he urged a de-escalation of tensions to prevent further violence. We further support the Secretary-General's call referring to "the urgent need for all relevant actors to commit to inclusive and credible political dialogue to address the protracted crisis in the country, with full respect for the rule of law and human rights". South Africa therefore calls on all parties to participate in a national dialogue process to ensure unity and reconciliation and for the furtherance of a political solution to the situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. We would like to reiterate that any further action by or grievance of either party should be resolved through the due legal processes of the country.”
2019-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8452 (2019) · source
“It was on that basis that South Africa's President, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, congratulated President Maduro following his inauguration for a second term as President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. A founding principle of South Africa's constitutional democracy, which we hold very dear, is respect for the rule of law. We are therefore deeply concerned by what is a clear attempt, in Venezuela, to circumvent the constitutional legal mechanisms of the country that govern its elections. Any grievances or disputes should be resolved in a peaceful manner through the proper mechanisms and processes provided for in the Constitution of Venezuela and its electoral laws, without external influence. That is standard practice everywhere, in every country, and indeed the best practice in all democracies that subscribe to the rule of law.”
2019-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8452 (2019) · source
“We want to thank you, Sir, for convening today's meeting on the situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. We also want to welcome the ministers present here in the Council today, as well as the briefing by Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo. In any country, like all the countries represented around this big table, political parties choose the provisions by which to conduct elections. Venezuela is no different, and it held its presidential elections on 20 May 2018 on the basis of its national laws governing such elections. Those elections also took place in accordance with the agreement of electoral guarantees that was signed by all political parties shortly before the elections. The elections were further overseen by Venezuela's National Electoral Council, as in any other country, whether developed or developing.”
2019-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8452 (2019) · source
“The true nature of the threat posed by climate change is existential and global in nature. We therefore need a multilateral response that gives a voice to the widest possible representation of States, and with a strong role for all other stakeholders. As the Secretary-General has often said, the solution lies in a transformation of the global economy. And that "requires inclusivity, because everyone is affected by climate change". In that regard, we should be aware that the Security Council's limited membership and specific peace and security focus means that it may not be the appropriate forum for addressing the issue of climate change. Consequently, we should be cautious about duplicating the efforts of other bodies in the United Nations system that are better placed to address the matter.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“The Council may also help with the preparation of context-specific risk-mitigation strategies that address all factors leading to insecurity. However, as the IPCC and other evidence-based studies have shown, it is often difficult to determine a direct causal nexus between climate change and natural disasters, on the one hand, and threats to international peace and security, on the other. In specific circumstances, they may be an exacerbating factor, or threat multiplier, to more direct and specific root causes ofconflict. That reality has been recognized in Africa, where the African Union Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silence the Guns by 2020 identifies a number of key areas as constituting serious threats to the African peace and security agenda, including, potentially, climate change.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“We look to the UNFCCC, its Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement for policy direction and leadership on climate change and also refer to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. In those security situations that are within the purview of the Security Council where climate change is thought to be a significant factor contributing to insecurity, such as the Sahel and Somalia, it is important that the Council highlight climate change as a factor that must be addressed by the international community. By adding its voice to the conversation, the Security Council will increase awareness of the problem, which will, hopefully, in turn help to mobilize global action and the provision of means of implementation and support to developing countries.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“It is clear to us that climate change is a global sustainable development challenge that can realistically be addressed only if we do so collectively, through a rules-based multilateral regime that is based on science, equity and a differentiation in terms of action and support between countries with very different national circumstances. Climate action needs to be dramatically scaled up while protecting and furthering the development gains of developing countries and eradicating poverty. We have strong foundations for this multilateral solution already in the form of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, reinforced by regional development programmes such as the African Union's Agenda 2063.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change as the single greatest threat to its development and prosperity. We in South Africa have experienced devastating weather events in recent years, with several regions of our country suffering their worst drought in decades. Africa therefore stands in full solidarity with other regions similarly affected by natural disasters, such as those highlighted in the concept note prepared by the Dominican Republic (S/2019/ 1, annex). We remain firmly committed to addressing climate change and responding to natural disasters at the national, regional and international levels.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“The special report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on the impact ofa 1.5Â°C temperature rise confirms that we are already seeing the consequences of climate change for nature and for people and their livelihoods and that the worst is yet to come. We note with great concern the erratic nature and ferocity of the natural calamities that have struck the Caribbean and many islands, including those in the Pacific, such as hurricanes; in Indonesia and Japan, repeated tsunamis; in Australia and the United States of America, devastating wildfires; in Europe, floods and heavy snows; and in Africa, drought, among others. These natural catastrophes caused untold human suffering, destroyed the livelihoods of millions of people and displaced hundreds of millions more.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“South Africa fully shares the views expressed by the Secretary-General at the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held in Katowice, Poland, in December 2018, where he stated that "climate change is the single most important issue we face. It affects all our plans for sustainable development and a safe, secure and prosperous world". The Secretary-General has issued a warning that time is running out to address climate change. That warning is premised on the clear findings of the international scientific community, as well as by the new reality of increasingly frequent and extreme climate-related disasters.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“Mr. President, we are honoured to see you preside over today's open debate. We thank the Dominican Republic for having arranged this important meeting addressing the impact of climate-related disasters on international peace and security. We are also honoured by and acknowledge the presence in the Council Chamber today of many Ministers. We would like also to thank the many briefers for the information they provided to the Council. We took note of the remarks made by Ms. Getschel and amplified by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon regarding the role of youth in this debate. We associate ourselves with the statement to be delivered by Ms. Fatima Kyari Mohammed on behalf of the African Union.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“Peace is expensive. Peace is complex. Making peace is a difficult, yet necessary, undertaking. Patience is needed. Respect and equal treatment for all is required. Certainty about the common future must be spelled out. Justice must be applied fairly to everyone. Inter-Colombian dialogue is the way to go. Neighbours should give the Colombian people a chance to deal with the painful past to heal, to deal with mistrust, to bond together and to move together. Democracy needs compromises. Democracy needs accommodation. Work together with former combatants. Do not demonize them. As always, South Africa remains ready and willing to share the small experiences and lessons that it learned through those difficult processes, in the hope that Colombia and its people might find lasting peace and prosperity.”
2019-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8450 (2019) · source
“That pioneering work by the United Nations Verification Mission should serve as an important example for other peace missions. South Africa also commends the efforts of regional bodies, such as the Organization of American States (OAS), particularly through its Mission to Support of the Peace Process in Colombia, led by Mr. Roberto Menendez. We encourage greater coordination between the United Nations efforts and those of the OAS. As has been mentioned, the transition that Colombia is undergoing bears many similarities with the experiences of South Africa. Following the end of apartheid, South Africa's fledgling democracy had to deal with similarly complex challenges, including reforming the security sector, demobilizing and reintegrating former combatants, processes related to truth and reconciliation, as well as justice.”
2019-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8450 (2019) · source
“Its independence and autonomy, as well as the judgments it arrives at, also need to be fully respected. Furthermore, as pointed out by the Secretary- General in his most recent report, it is critical that the reintegration process in Colombia involve efforts to empower local communities, in close collaboration with the private sector, universities and other stakeholders, such as civil society organizations, women, victims of violence and ethnic or indigenous peoples. On this point it is important to recognize the important pioneering efforts and achievements of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia in working specifically to address youth in the peace process. As the country's future leaders, its youth and their futures are critical to the success of the peace process in Colombia.”
2019-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8450 (2019) · source
“We take note, inter alia, of the Government's launching in 2019 of its "Peace with legality" plan, which aims to provide concrete solutions to potential obstacles to the peace process. South Africa also expresses its full support for Colombia's Commission on Truth, Coexistence and Non-repetition, known as the Truth Commission. Our very own Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, as painful and imperfect as it may have been, was invaluable in allowing our people to confront our painful history and deal with the deep wounds that had divided us for a long time. Therefore, in order to foster healing, it is important that Colombia's justice process, embodied in its Special Jurisdiction for Peace, receive the full support and cooperation of all the parties involved.”
2019-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8450 (2019) · source
“In addressing those challenges, South Africa would like to emphasize, based on our experience, the importance of working to expand the State's presence throughout its territory, which is particularly necessary in areas that have been affected by conflict and vacated by former combatants. It will also help to resolve the sensitive land question and restore much-needed basic services to all, including combatants who have surrendered and their families. As Colombia commemorates the third anniversary of the 2016 Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace, it is important that we recognize and commend the Government of Colombia, led by President Duque Marquez, for its significant efforts in encouraging dialogue and the implementation of the peace agreement.”
2019-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8450 (2019) · source
“At the outset, South Africa extends its deepest condolences to the Government of Colombia and its people following the attack that claimed more than 20 lives in Bogota last week and injured many more. We condemn, in the strongest terms possible, this senseless violence, which must not be allowed to threaten and derail the hard-won and significant achievements of the peace process in Colombia. Notwithstanding that regrettable and tragic incident, South Africa welcomes the report (S/2018/1159) of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, which conveys a generally positive view of progress in achieving lasting peace in the country. However, the report also notes the killing of social leaders and human rights defenders, which is a major concern and presents an ongoing challenge.”
2019-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8450 (2019) · source
“We are honoured to have you, Mr. President, presiding over this important meeting, giving our friend Mr. Jose Singer Weisinger a bit of a break. I think he deserves a break. We are also honoured by the presence of the Foreign Minister of Colombia, His Excellency Mr. Carlos Trujillo Garcia, and his delegation, as well as the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, Mrs. Retno Marsudi. We welcome the extensive and informative briefing by Mr. Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia. We furthermore acknowledge the role played by Cuba and Norway, as the guarantors and facilitators of the Colombian peace process.”
2019-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8450 (2019) · source
“The Council must do everything it can to remove all obstacles to peace between Israel and Palestine and no longer allow continued hatred, human rights violations and disregard for international law. Generations of Palestinians and Israelis have known only conflict and violence. We must do all we can now to create a culture of peace and foster hope for a future free of conflict for both communities. Any time Palestinians want to bring the issue of Palestine's full membership of the United Nations to the Security Council, they will find South Africa ready to support them.”
2019-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8449 (2019) · source
“Punishing civilians by cutting humanitarian funding cannot in any way be conceived as moving the peace process forward; rather, it serves only to entrench animosity and heighten tensions between the parties. South Africa is deeply concerned about reports of Israel's plans to shut down UNRWA-run schools in East Jerusalem. Closing schools affects the most vulnerable refugee population - children, at their most vulnerable stage of development and in the formative years of their education. South Africa welcomes recent pledges made to support UNRWA. We affirm that such humanitarian support creates the conditions that contribute to easing the dire conditions of the Palestinian people.”
2019-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8449 (2019) · source
“In line with the outcomes of the Spier Retreat, we continue to support and encourage the parties to work together towards peaceful dialogue and negotiation as the only way to find a lasting solution. The guidelines for those negotiations have been based on the established international legal framework, including General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, the Madrid principles, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet road map, among other things. We wish to once again recognize the importance of the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which has provided crucial socioeconomic assistance to Palestinian refugees for decades. Cuts in the UNRWA budget threaten the lives of many vulnerable people and undermine any confidence in a resolution to the conflict.”
2019-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8449 (2019) · source
“South Africa, as part of the international community, has always sought to encourage peace between the two parties. In that regard, we convened the Spier Presidential Peace Retreat in January 2002, to which we invited senior representatives of both Palestine and Israel with the aim of strengthening the peace camp in both Israel and Palestine, while sharing the South African experience in negotiations, peacemaking and the transition to democracy. We have also supported international peace efforts, in particular through the United Nations system. Those initiatives have demonstrated a spirit of commitment to dialogue and partnership for peace between the parties.”
2019-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8449 (2019) · source
“The fomenting of hatred and a culture of violence in the formative stages of development of those children will only make peace and reconciliation even more distant and unachievable. As long as the Council remains silent on such issues, a just peace becomes more and more out of reach. We cannot afford inaction and must instead inject much-needed urgency into resolving the conflict, including by safeguarding the gains made over decades of diplomacy and preventing any prejudging of outcomes on final-status issues, such as Jerusalem, security and the return of Palestinian refugees. I wish to reiterate South Africa's support for a two-State solution. We would also like to reiterate that the primary responsibility for peace rests with the Palestinians and Israelis themselves.”
2019-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8449 (2019) · source
“South Africa therefore calls for the full implementation of resolution 2334 (2016), including the timely submission to the Council of written reports of the Secretary-General every three months in order for progress to be adequately monitored. The Council receives written reports on other matters with which it is seized, and the situation in Palestine should be no different. We must not allow the decisions of the Security Council to be undermined and blatantly violated in some areas. Even more troubling is the deliberate targeting of children, the continued violation of human rights in the occupied territories and the continued imprisonment of Palestinian minors in military detention in Israel. The impact of such violations on the future of peace between the two parties cannot be underestimated.”
2019-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8449 (2019) · source
“According to the recent report of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, about 250 Israeli settlements have been established in the occupied West Bank since 1967, and approximately 611,000 Israelis - or 10 per cent of the Israeli population - have been pushed into Palestine and forcibly settled in flagrant violation of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, thereby replacing 12 per cent of the Palestinian population, which is similar to the apartheid-era forceful removal of black people from their ancestral productive land to barren, unproductive wasteland in the middle of nowhere.”
2019-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8449 (2019) · source